We offer free consultation services for patients, caregivers and medical providers. Get help with ethical decision-making from trained experts.
505-688-9137
Our ethics consultants provide ethical analysis and recommendations to our clinical providers when they face difficult decisions. We provide assistance in resolving disagreements that might arise among patients, providers and families.
We collaborate with other consulting services, including Palliative Medicine, Consultation-Liaison Psychiatric and Health Law, to find the best way forward in complicated clinical situations. We provide training in mediation, facilitation and negotiation.
Most consultations are sought by the primary clinician. The consultation service will respond to requests for meetings with patients and family members, and this may result in a consultation.
Ethics consultations are led by one of four primary consultants who will involve other experts as needed. The consultants receive advice and recommendations from the Ethics Committee, which has members from many walks of life: community members, doctors, nurses, social workers, lawyers, clergy and others. All members of the Ethics Consultation Service and the Ethics Committee receive training in Bioethics.
If unable to participate the patient will most often be represented by their decision-maker who is responsible for telling others what the patient would likely want if the patient were able to communicate.
No, there is no fee charged for an ethics consultation. This service is provided by the Health Sciences Center.
Clinicians may request an ethics consultation through TigerConnect or by calling 505-272-6663. Patients and family members may request a meeting with the Ethics Consultation Service by calling 505-272-6663.
In the state of New Mexico, you are legally entitled to state your preferences for treatment in advance in case a time comes when you are no longer able to make those decisions for yourself. You also have a right to choose a person to make those decisions for you. If you do not appoint someone, the law provides that an appropriate relative or friend in a special relationship with you can make health care decisions on your behalf.
Although it is not always comfortable, having candid conversations in advance with loved ones about preferences for life-prolonging measures, such as artificial nutrition or life support, makes it easier in the long run to honor a person’s wishes. Although you are not required to use a special form to record your wishes or appoint a decision-maker, you may find it helpful to use an advance directive form. Advance directive forms for New Mexico can be obtained through your provider, or downloaded from the web.
If you would like more information about advanced directives, contact our office. We can help you locate resources or forms according to your situation. Call 505-272-6663 or send an email.
